Tesla's automobiles have a range of about 200 to 300 miles. The
capacity of the battery and the cargo carrying abilities of the
semi are still unknown.

Demand for the all-electric truck is expected to be high,
according to Ravi Shanker, an analyst at Morgan Stanley. The
trucks could operate autonomously, and cost as much as $100,000
per vehicle according to Shanker. Their batteries could be leased
to truck owners, setting the company up for a network of battery
swapping stations to quickly refresh the batteries and range of
the vehicles.

The trucks, if fully autonomous, could save companies up to 70%
compared to traditional human drivers, so the cost savings would
be a huge competitive advantage to those operating the trucks,
Shanker said.

The release of the vehicle comes right in the middle of the
company's production ramp for its mass-market Model 3. Tesla is
currently producing the vehicle in very small numbers, but hopes
to be making 20,000 Model 3s per month by the end of the year.